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View Full Version : How do you get your baby to sleep on her own?



1ontheway
03-18-2004, 02:39 PM
We've figured out how to soothe DD-well most of the time. just saying shhh and walking her around works wonders. Now our problem is getting her to sleep some place other than on me-like right now (TOH).:) She sleeps in my arms for her naps during the day and in the crook of my arm in bed with me at night. I really think her sleep would be much more restful in her PNP bassinet. (We haven't set up a crib since we're movingin a month.) And I think she would be able to longer between nursing sessions if she didn't always smell the source. It was not my intention to cosleep and I don't enjoy it since all her little noises wake me up. It's just more of a necessity to get some rest myself.

Whenever I put DD down she wakes up no matter gentle the transition from my arms. I try to calmher without picking her up, but it doesn't work. So what can we doto change this??

Any advice would be appreciated. Oh, I have been using a carrier just to get some hands free time, but I would really just like a little time where DD is not attached to me in some way. TIA for your input.
Christina
and Leah Grace 1/19/04

Rowans mom
03-22-2004, 02:09 AM
I've heard until they're around 3 months old to just let them sleep wherever you can get them to sleep! After that, have you heard of the Ferber method? The baby411 book summarizes it fairly well. Also Dr. Ferber has a book called Solving Your Child's Sleep Problems and it includes a couple of chapters on getting your baby to sleep on their own. Most pediatricians are big fans of this method.

LittleStar03
03-29-2004, 04:01 AM
Have you tried stretching something across the bassinet that smells like you? That will help sometimes.

As far as Ferber goes, it's not recommended for infants under 6 months old.

How comfortable are you with allowing your DD to nap alone in your bed? Maybe you could try laying down with her at naptime and then once she's asleep, slowly moving away. I do this with my DD when she doesn't want to go down on her own and it usually works pretty well.

Good luck to you and Leah! I remember going through the same thing when my DD was about this age. If it's any consolation at all, they do grow out of it!

jerseygirl07067
04-02-2004, 06:32 PM
We initially had the same problem. I highly recommend the book, "The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Dr. Karp. It is awesome!! It's a very simple basic approach, and the 5 s's DO work if you give yourself a few days to get the hang of it. (The whole Babywise, Baby Whisperer book thing did not work at all for us) The 5 S's are swaddling, shhhhing, sidelying/stomach, swinging, and sucking. You do a combo of these to get your baby into a deep sleep and then after a while gradually wean them. It pretty much recreates the womb for your baby which is very comforting. Don't worry about your baby becoming too dependent on the 5 s's. He tells you how to wean them. Our DD is now 3 1/2 months and the only thing we still do is the swaddling and she now sleeps 8-9 hours a night...initially in her pack and play and now in her crib!

I have to honestly say the swaddling worked the best for us. I had to get a large piece of fabric (40 inches by 40 inches)so I could swaddle DD really tight, as she would often kick off receiving blankets because they were too small. With the swaddle, babies still feel cozy and secure even though they might be in a crib or pack and play. I did not like having DD in bed with us because I could not sleep peacefully, I was so worried about her suffocating under our comforter! Plus, every move she made woke me up.

Initially she resisted the swaddle, but now when we put it on she totally relaxes and puts her arms at her sides. It's her cue to go to sleep!

HTH!
Marcy

AnaC.
07-27-2007, 07:05 PM
I have to say there is nothing I love more than the Ferber Method and the book by doctor Ferber, it has done wonders for us, and since Dylan is four months old (the time advise to start using the method) he has been sleeping by himself, at night and during his naps, it took him two days to learn it, and with the method he cried a little bit and finally he got to sleep.

The method is not really crying it out method as some people call it and it includes visiting the kid every five minutes to show him you are still there for him, I gotta tell you my kid is not traumatized and he is the happiest baby ever now that he sleeps so well, it is good to read the book before aplying it since it explains everything so clearly and it includes other child sleeping problems too.

good luck and again I swear by this method, I think it is the best thing ever.

Fairy
07-29-2007, 02:09 AM
This is not that old a post, but I see a trend here, so locking. My apologies ot the OP if you want to start a new one, feel free.